The National Drug Law and Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Wednesday, arrested one Chibuike Apolos, a notorious major illicit drug supplier in Abia state.
Apolos, a 38-year-old, has been on the wanted list of the Agency since February following the arrest of one Chima Ukeleonu.
He was intercepted during an early morning raid in his hideout at Mbausi in Isialangwa North area of the state.
This was made known in a press statement released on Wednesday by the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, who said Ukelonu was a suspect
behind a viral video displaying a young man hawking illicit drugs on the street in January.
Following Apolos’ arrest, Abia state government has already marked his house, which served as a hideout, for demolition.
The commander, Abia state Command of the Agency, Bamidele Akingbade said, “The Command has been on his trail since February this year. Fortunately, we got a tip-off that
he just received some quantities of cannabis from Edo state.
“Notwithstanding the tense security situation in the southeast especially Abia state, the Command still embarked on the operations which culminated in the arrest of one Chibuike Apolos with ten (10) bags of cannabis weighing 100kg, 1.6 grams of cocaine, 1 gram of heroin and 5 gram of methamphetamine.
“The suspect is one of the major suppliers of illicit drugs in Abia State, especially in the
Isialangwa communities. The State government has been notified and his building has been
marked for demolition.”
In a related event, the Taraba state Command of NDLEA has also arrested Lawan Gambo Umar, a 61-year-old, for trafficking 58.50kg of cannabis sativa.
Suleiman Ajadi, the State Commander of the Agency said, “The suspect was taking the skunk concealed inside sacks of beans chaff used to feed animals to
Fune in Yobe state when our men intercepted him.”
While reacting to the two operations, Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Brig.
Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (Rtd) commended men and officers of the Abia and Taraba Commands of the agency for the seizures and arrest while admonishing them to continue in the same pace of offensive action to eradicate illicit substances in the country.
Marwa said, “No doubt, the volume that has been seized in these two operations is less the kilogram meant for our towns and communities. I, therefore, urge our officers and men across all the Commands all over the country to continue to smoke all the elements involved in this criminal trade out of their hiding places.”
